Airflow guide cover

ABSTRACT

An airflow guide cover includes a main body, a first ventilation panel, and a second ventilation panel. The main body includes an airflow guiding channel and two opposite sidewalls. The airflow guiding channel includes an air outlet. The first and second ventilation panels are respectively rotatably connected to the sidewalls adjacent to the air outlet. A number of first vents is defined in the first ventilation panel, and a number of second vents is defined in the second ventilation panel. The areas of the first vents and the second vents are different. The first ventilation panel and the second ventilation panel are selectively rotated to cover the air outlet, to adjust airflow exhausting out of the airflow guide cover.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to an airflow guide cover.

2. Description of Related Art

An electronic device, such as a computer, generally includes an airflowguide cover over a heat generating component, and a fan arranged at anend of the airflow guide cover, to dissipate heat produced by the heatgenerating component. However, because different heat generatingcomponents have different heights and volumes, airflow past thedifferent heat generating components changes greatly and is difficult tomeet the heat dissipation need of the other components in the electronicdevice.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better understood withreference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings arenot necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed uponclearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments.Moreover, in the drawing, all the views are schematic, and likereference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the severalviews.

FIG. 1 is a partial, assembled, isometric view of an embodiment of anairflow guide cover.

FIG. 2 is an exploded, isometric view of the airflow guide cover of FIG.1, the airflow guide including a first ventilation panel.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged assembled, isometric view of the first ventilationpanel of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 1, but shows the airflow guide cover in adifferent state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosure, including the accompanying drawings, is illustrated byway of example and not by way of limitation. It should be noted thatreferences to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are notnecessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at leastone.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an embodiment of an airflow guide cover 10includes a main body 20, a first ventilation panel 30, and a secondventilation panel 40. The first and second ventilation panels 30 and 40are configured to be swung into place to restrict or control the amountof airflow through the airflow guide cover 10 as needed.

The main body 20 includes a top wall 21, and two sidewalls 23perpendicularly extending from opposite sides of the top wall 21. Anairflow guiding channel 25 is bound by the top wall 21 and the sidewalls23. The airflow guiding channel 25 includes an air inlet (not shown) andan air outlet 251 opposite to the air inlet. A slot 231 is defined in anupper portion of an end of each sidewall 23 adjoining the air outlet251. Two spaced pivot portions 233 protrude outward from an outersurface of each sidewall 23, respectively above and below thecorresponding slot 231. A pivot hole 234 is defined in each pivotportion 233. Two hooks 235 extending towards each other are formed onthe outer surface of each sidewall 23 away from the corresponding slot231.

The first air ventilation panel 30 includes a rectangular plate 31, apivot member 33, and a latch 35. A plurality of first vents 312 isdefined in the plate 31. Two pivot pins 314 respectively extend from topand bottom of a first end of the plate 31. A recess 315 is defined inthe plate 31 adjacent to a second end of the plate 31 opposite to thefirst end. Two pivot holes 316 are respectively defined in top andbottom walls of the recess 315 adjacent to the second end. The pivotmember 33 includes a shaft 332, and two pivot portions 334 extendingoutwards from a lateral side of the pivot shaft 332. A pivot hole 335 isdefined in each pivot portion 334. Two pivot pins 352 respectivelyextend from top and bottom of a side of the latch 35.

The second ventilation panel 40 includes a rectangular plate 41, a pivotmember 43, and a latch 45. A plurality of second vents 412 is defined inthe plate 41. The area of the second vents 412 of the second ventilationpanel 40 is greater than the area of the first vents 312 of the firstventilation panel 30. Two pivot pins 414 respectively extend from topand bottom of a first end of the plate 41. A recess (not shown) isdefined in the plate 41 adjacent to a second end opposite to the firstend of the plate 41. Two pivot holes 416 are respectively defined in topand bottom walls of the recess adjacent to the second end of the plate41. The pivot member 43 includes a shaft 432, and two pivot portions 434extending outwards from a lateral side of the pivot shaft 432. A pivothole 435 is defined in each pivot portion 434. Two pivot pins 452respectively extend from top and bottom of a side of the latch 35.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, in assembly, the pivot pins 314 of the plate31 are respectively inserted into the pivot holes 335, to rotatablyconnect the plate 31 to the pivot member 33. The pivot pins 352 arerespectively inserted into the pivot holes 316, to rotatably connect thelatch 35 to the plate 31. Thereby, the first ventilation panel 30 isassembled. Opposite ends of the shaft 332 are respectively inserted intothe pivot holes 234 of the pivot portions 233 of one of the sidewalls 23of the main body 20, to rotatably connect the first ventilation panel 30to the sidewall 23. The pivot pins 414 are respectively inserted intothe pivot holes 435, to rotatably connect the plate 41 to the pivotmember 43. The pivot pins 452 are respectively inserted into the pivotholes 416, to rotatably connect the latch 45 to the plate 41. Thereby,the second ventilation panel 40 is assembled. Opposite ends of the shaft432 are respectively inserted into the pivot holes 234 of the pivotportions 233 of the other sidewall 23 of the main body 20, to rotatablyconnect the second ventilation panel 40 to the other sidewall 23.Thereby, the airflow guide cover 10 is assembled.

In use, the airflow guide cover 10 is installed in an electronic device(not shown). At least one electronic component is received in theairflow guide cover 10, and a fan (not shown) is arranged to align withthe air inlet of the airflow guide cover 10. The fan blows air into theairflow guide cover 10, to allow the air to pass through the electroniccomponent and then exhaust out of the airflow guide cover 10 through theair outlet 251.

When there is a need for unrestricted airflow through the airflow guidecover 10, the latches 35 and 45 are respectively received in therecesses of the corresponding plates 31 and 41. The first and secondventilation panels 30 and 40 are rotated to the corresponding sidewalls23 of the main body 20. Then the hooks 235 of the sidewalls 23 areoperated, to allow the first and second ventilation panels 30 and 40 tobe latched to the corresponding sidewall 23.

According to the heat dissipation need of the electronic device, whenthere is a need to restrict the airflow to a certain degree through theairflow guide cover 10, the first ventilation panel 30 is disengagedfrom the corresponding hooks 235 and rotated to cover a portion of theair outlet 251. The latch 35 is rotated substantially 90 degreesrelative to the plate 31 to engage in the slot 231 of the sidewall 23connected to the second ventilation panel 40. Thereby, the firstventilation panel 30 is fixed in place over the air outlet 251.

According to the heat dissipation need of the electronic device, whenthere is a need to restrict the airflow to a greater degree through theairflow guide cover 10, the first ventilation panel 30 is restored toits position engaged with the corresponding sidewall 23 and the secondventilation panel 40 is disengaged from the corresponding hooks 235 androtated to cover the upper portion of the air outlet 251. The latch 45is rotated substantially 90 degrees relative to the plate 41 to engagein the slot 231 of the sidewall 23 connected to the first ventilationpanel 30. Thereby, the second ventilation panel 40 is fixed in placeover the air outlet 251. Therefore, there are three configurations forcontrolling the airflow through the cover 10.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerouscharacteristics and advantages of the embodiments have been set forth inthe foregoing description, together with details of the structure andfunction of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, andchanges may be made in details, especially in matters of shape, size,and arrangement of parts within the principles of the embodiments to thefull extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in whichthe appended claims are expressed.

1. An airflow guide cover, comprising: a main body comprising a topwall, two sidewalls extending from opposite sides of the top wall, andan airflow guiding channel bound by the top wall and the sidewalls, theairflow guiding channel comprising an air outlet; a first ventilationpanel rotatably connected to one of the sidewalls adjacent to the airoutlet, a plurality of first vents defined in the first ventilationpanel; and a second ventilation panel rotatably connected to the otherone of the sidewalls adjacent to the air outlet, a plurality of secondvents defined in the second ventilation panel, wherein the areas of thefirst vents and the second vents are different, the first ventilationpanel and the second ventilation panel are operable to be selectivelyrotated to cover the air outlet.
 2. The airflow guide cover of claim 1,wherein each of the first and second ventilation panels comprises aplate and a pivot member, the first and second vents are defined in thecorresponding plates of the first and second ventilation panels, firstends of the plates are respectively rotatably connected to the pivotmembers, and the pivot members are respectively rotatably connected tothe sidewalls of the main body.
 3. The airflow guide cover of claim 2,wherein two spaced pivot portions protrude outward from an outer surfaceof each of the sidewalls adjacent to the air outlet, a pivot hole isdefined in each of the pivot portions, each pivot member comprises ashaft, opposite ends of the shaft are rotatably engaged in the pivotholes of a corresponding sidewall.
 4. The airflow guide cover of claim3, wherein each pivot member further comprises two pivot portionsextending outwards from a lateral side of the corresponding shaft, apivot hole is defined in each of the pivot portions of the pivot member,two pivot pins respectively extend from top and bottom of the first endof each plate, to engage in the pivot holes of a corresponding pivotmember.
 5. The airflow guide cover of claim 4, wherein a slot is definedin an end of each sidewall adjoining the air outlet, a latch is formedon a second end of the plate of each of the first and second ventilationpanels, when the first ventilation panel covers the air outlet, thelatch of the first ventilation panel engages in the slot of the sidewallconnected to the second ventilation panel; when the second ventilationpanel covers the air outlet, the latch of the second ventilation panelengages in the slot of the sidewall connected to the first ventilationpanel.
 6. The airflow guide cover of claim 5, wherein the latches arerotatably connected to the second ends of the plates of the first andsecond ventilation panels, respectively.
 7. The airflow guide cover ofclaim 6, wherein a recess is defined in each plate adjacent to thesecond end of the plate, to receive the corresponding latch connected tothe plate.
 8. The airflow guide cover of claim 6, wherein two hooksextending towards each other are formed on the outer surface of eachsidewall, when the first and second ventilation panels are respectivelyrotated towards the sidewalls, the hooks of the sidewalls are capable ofengaging with the corresponding first and second ventilation panels.